Compare towns
Methuen vs Chilmark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k median).
Chilmark has the most expensive homes ($1895k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Methuen | Chilmark |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
1,578Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +40% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
| Chilmark and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Highest 16% below MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Methuen and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Methuen | Up-Island Regional |
| High school in town | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.